experience

Life. As lived by DIJI.

9 BEYOND the beach PACKAGE 1

The Experience Located on the banks of the Arabian Sea, Kovalam, literally meaning ‘a grove of coconuts’, is a tourist destination of international repute famous for its Hawah, Light House and Samudra beaches. Our journey will begin at the Kovalam Guest House. Accompanying you will be a guide who will familiarise you to the sun, sand, sea and life of the people of Kovalam. You can have the trip customized and opt your stopovers from the destinations given below. Full day and half day options are available in the package.

Thanal Zero Waste Centre Thanal Zero Waste Centre is located just a few kilometres away from the Guest House. Here you will be taken on a tour of the unit which will familiarise you on how the workers transform something like coconut and paper waste into beautiful handicrafts and other useful products.

10 The Dairy Farm Discover real livestock farming at the Dairy Farm. This will give you a glimpse of the various steps and stages involved and introduce you to a variety of cow breeds. Also make sure you visit the milking unit and try some fresh milk available there.

Creche´ Peals of laughter and little faces will welcome you to the Anganvadi (Crèche), which provides primary education to the local children. It is also the nodal centre for the implementation of various schemes of the Government for the development of women and children. Interact with the teachers and kids and experience the simple charm of an Anganvadi.

Coconut Shell Products Unit Here, you will discover how the coconut shell is converted into a number of products like soap dish, rings, visiting card holders, showpieces etc. Do remember to take home a few that catch your fancy.

Weaving Unit Observe the making of traditional silk sarees and dhotis first-hand at the weaving unit run by Diji. Don’t forget to try your hand at it and choose your favourite as keepsake. You can also visit other nearby weaving units.

Copra Unit A few minutes’ walk away from the weaving unit is the copra processing unit. Here, we get to witness by-products like oil and oil cakes being processed from coconut.

11 Lake The largest freshwater lake in district, the Vellayani is a popular tourist spot and a source of water to the agricultural fields nearby. Its crystal clear waters are mesmerising and truly a sight to behold.

Vegetable Farms The nearby vegetable farms offer a great view and a variety of products are put on display here. After being introduced to different farming procedures and agro-farming activities, remember to pick a few locally produced vegetables and fresh bananas.

Vizhinjam Fishing Harbour Just 3 km from the Kovalam beach is the Vizhinjam Harbour, a natural port located close to the international shipping route. Get a first-hand view of the boats, the bounty and the people at the harbour. Also check out the skilled hands at work as they weave delicate fishing nets out of locally available materials. Coir Village Panathurakadavu is where you will get to discover the age-old processes used to create fascinating coir products. Check out the various steps involved and try your hand at coir spinning with Lekha and her family.

Kalari (Optional) Discover the world of Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art form of . Various Kalari techniques such as Urumipayattu, Vaalpayattu, Kuruvadipayattu, Neduvadipayattu etc. are practised here.

For reservations and more details please contact your Responsible Tourism Travel Desk, Kovalam. Ph: +91 4672 273833 [email protected] [email protected] 12